Diet

[Vivvy]

Does anyone have any tips, tricks or advice on getting a birdie to start eating vegetables and fruits? He was previously on an all seed diet at the place I got him from and now thats all he wants. I've tried warming up the food, cutting it in certain ways and even mixing in some seed but all he's really done is pick specifically the sunflower seeds out and leave the rest.

 

[Dan69]

I would suggest buying small portions of different foods (pellets) and different textures (crumbles, mini pellets, fine, etc). Do the same with vegetables (I suggest getting small bags of frozen veggies and taking a little out at a time. Thaw it out of course). My bird so far has seemed to like brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, and snow peas (shelled). He has no interest in carrots, spinach, other veggies (yet).
I have only had my quaker for 2 months and he was much the same as yours. Shoving something new in his face and expecting him to chow down isn't going to happen. Offer him a variety, and watch what he goes for, or at least nibbles on a little bit.
Recently I just discovered just because he doesn't like or want something this time, doesn't mean he won't start eating it at a later date. I bought him some Roudybush mini pellets 2 months ago. He had zero interest in that, until I bought him some Harrison's fine crumbles just last week... and I put the two on a plate for him... now he's eating the Roudybush. Go figure. He likes the pellets as he can pick them up and eat them. Keep a variety and offer him things. Heck, offer him the same thing for a couple weeks. Eventually something will take hold maybe. Oh, and don't REPLACE his current food with new food. Offer him some separately and/or mixed in with his regular food. Better to eat fatty, not so healthy foods than nothing at all. A bird will starve himself if he doesn't like what's offered to him, or if he doesn't know it's food.
Just give it some time and be patient. It's only been a bit over 2 months for me, but I can now comfortably put only pellets in his dish and stay gone all day without worrying if he's eating or not, but I do keep sunflower seeds around for a treat and if he looks close enough, he might find some hidden sunflower seed treasures